Universal movement head doll



Nov. 17, 1970 w.w. KOSICKI ETAL 3,540,150

UNIVERSAL MOVEMENT HEAD DOLL Filed June 18, 1968 United States Patent 3,540,150 UNIVERSAL MOVEMENT HEAD DOLL Witold W. Kosicki and Charles M. Holliugsworth, Columbia, S.C., assignors t0 Horsman Dolls Inc., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 18, 1968, Ser. No. 740,432 Int. Cl. A63h 3/36 U.S. Cl. 46-161 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE vided to prevent undesired deformation of the body element.

This invention relates generally to dolls and more particularly to improvements in head, neck, and body articulation.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide doll construction which has simple fool-proof structure by means of which the doll head and neck may be easily moved by the child user into a multiplicity of adjusted positions, thereby enabling the doll to be placed in many life simulated playing positions.

Another object herein lies in the provision of structure for minimizing the exposure of the working mechanism so that the aesthetic appearance of the doll is enhanced.

Another object is to simplify the structure so that cost is lowered with a consequent wide distribution and use.

A further object lies in the provision of structure of the class described in which altered or adjusted positions of the parts are retained and yet a permanent set of the parts is avoided.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention with the doll neck in an upright or forward-position and the head facing forward.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the doll of FIG. 1 with the limbs adjusted to produce a creeping position and the neck shifted to its rearmost position.

FIG. 3 is a reduced front elevational view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen from the plane 4-4 on FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view, comparable to FIG. 4 but showing the parts shifted to show the neck in a forward or vertical position, as indicated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary bottom elevation as seen from the plane 66 on FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan as seen from the plane 77 on FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a reduced perspective view of the embodiment adjusted to show the doll standing on its head.

FIG. 9 is a reduced perspective view of the embodiment adjusted to show its supporting itself on hands and feet in an arched back position.

In accordance with the invention, the doll, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a body 12; a neck element 14; a head element 16; a shield element 18; a connector element 20; and a resilient pressure member 22.

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The body 12 is preferably composed of flesh colored vinyl copolymer and is hollow, having an inner surface 24 and an outer surface 26. The lower portion of the body is provided with pivotally mounted legs 28 while the upper portion 30 at the shoulders 32 is provided with pivotally mounted arms 34. Midway between the shoulders 32 the body portion 30 is provided with an elongated slot 36 which extends substantially in a plane which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. The slot preferably extends through approximately 90 degrees so as to afford ample range of adjustment of the position of the neck element 14. No reinforcement is provided on the margins of the slot 36 so that it presents a desirable unobtrusive appearance.

The neck element is of irregular configuration, best seen in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7. Neck element 14 includes a base 38, a generally cylindrical upstanding wall 40, a top rim 42, a front flange 44 and a rear flange 46. The base 38 has a central elongated orifice 48 and a downward or inward projecting protuberance 50. The neck element is preferably composed of material matching the body 1'2 and the head element 16.

The head element 16 has a bottom opening 52 with an upward or inward directed integral collar portion 54. The size and structure of the collar portion 54 is such that it can be snapped over the top rim- 42, and frictionally engage the outer surface of the wall 40, so that the head element 16 may be rotated about the neck element 14 to various desired adjusted positions.

The shield element 18 is composed of a planar sheet of flexible resilient material, such as for example polyethylene, and may be of generally oblong configuration with an orifice 62, a front edge 56, a rear edge 58 and side edges 60. The shield element tending to return to its planar configuration resiliently presses against the inner surface 24 and serves to close the opening of the slot 36. It is colored to match the body 12 so that a more pleasing aesthetic appearance is promoted regardless of the position of the neck element 14.

The connector element 20 is of generally inverted U-shape, and is preferably formed of metallic wire which is relatively stiff. It has spaced and parallel legs, a rounded top 70, and two diverging feet 64.

The resilient pressure member 22 is preferably a conical expensive coil spring.

One manner of assembly is as follows: The shield element is inserted into the body 12 before the limbs are attached, and its orifice 62 is aligned with the slot 36. Next the connector element 20 is inserted up through the orifice 62 and the slot 36. Following this, the neck element is slipped down over the connector element by passing the loop or curved top thereof through the orifice 48. Then the resilient pressure member 22 is placed with its largest convolution resting on the base 38 and is compressed, whereupon its upper end 68 is pressed underneath the top 70. This keeps the spring under compression so that the shield element 18 is pulled up snug against the inner surface 24 and the flanges 44 and 46 are brought into intimate contact with the outer surface 26. The compression of the spring member 22 is sufiicient to not only keep the parts in proper position but to retain the neck element in any new position, and the exposed areas of the portion 30 retain their proper appearance.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact details of the construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur 'to a person skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

We claim:

1. In a doll, an assembly comprising a hollow torso having a shoulder portion curved in a direction from front to back of said .torso, means forming an elongated generally centrally located slot in said curved shoulder portion, said slot extending in a direction from front to back of said-torso,said doll including a neck having a base conforming to the outer surface of said s'houlder portion, a strip of flexible material located within said torso below said slot, said stn'p resiliently pressing against and conforming to the inner surface of said torso adjacent said slot, and means comprising a rod-like element ex tending through said slot for connecting said strip to said neck base to permit said neck and said strip to move relative to said torso along the length of said slot.

2. An assembly as in claim 1 in which said connect ing means comprises means concomitantly biasing said base into engagement with said outer surface and said strip into engagement with said inner surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,654,933 1/1928 Heyman 46173 2,807,119 9/1957 Beebe 46-l61 X 3,277,602 10/1966 Speers et al. 46- 161 2,783,587 3/1957 Gardel et al 46-173 FOREIGN PATENTS 162,856 1904 Germany.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 46l 73 

